Last Car to Elysian Fields: A Dave Robicheaux Novel

Dave Robecheaux's life has moved on considerably since the 'Jolie Blon's Bounce' episode. He is now a much more contemporary figure in 'Last Car to Elysian Fields' by James Lee Burke. It is always easy for a character to have no firm time boundaries but this time Burke is keen that we readers will have no doubt about the time of events in his latest novel. Burke has performed something that must be difficult, he has created a void, a space left by Burke's deceased partner Bootsie. This void has a gravity all of its own and its target is poor Dave. This time its not the despair of an alcoholic but rather the mourning and loss a partner must travel through, and hopefully come out the other side. The story has a pace that keeps one hooked as Dave and Clete explore the backround to a rich Louisiana business man. Dave's search is centred in the past where he discovers the reasons behind a prisoners disappearnce. As usual Clete is in the present trying to counsel Dave through his bereavement, as well as acting as a sort of human exocet device without any stealth technology. In an earlier novel Dave met a character called Legion who managed to both outsmart Robecheaux at one point and leave a kiss firmly planted on Dave's lips. Whatever one makes of that incident remains to be seen, however in the present novel Dave is humiliated in a far more personal attack. These strange and disturbing encounters seem part of a greater plot that Burke is planning that fails to fill one with anticipation. There is relatively little of Burke's rich and descriptive prose describing the Louisiana environment this time around. It is this talent that has, I believe, made the novels so addictive. So there may be a sea change taking place, a turbulence that is in itself unpredictable in its effects on the characters. In spite of these observations, a great read.

I'm a fan so JLB's Robicheaux is an old friend and I love reading about his exploits. A flawed individual and a sucker for a sob story. A man-of-honour, even. Books are poetic, atmospheric and un-put-downable. As long as JLB writes them, I'll be reading them.

Great Story-line

I like every Burke book I’ve read.Excellent. Recommended

For those of you who, like me, did not think Jolie Blon was up to standard please persevere and buy this book. The depth and color are to the standard of the earlier Robicheaux novels. The action and characterisation are superb - and the local color? Well, I lived for two years five miles from New Iberia and the man has the Teche running through his heart.